The present invention is directed to a hearing aid wherein a printed circuit board having hearing aid components mounted thereon is arranged interiorly within a hearing aid housing.
It has proven advantageous for accommodating in space saving fashion printed circuit boards, and particularly printed circuit films, in a hearing aid housing be designing the printed circuit board with extension arms that can better fill remaining cavities in the hearing aid. Such a printed circuit on a flexible film and having an extension arm is disclosed, for example, by German Utility Model No. 83 28 734 (also see U.S. Pat. No. 4,639,556 and European Patent No. A 0 136 643), all incorporated herein. This reference discloses a film that is designed for an in-the-ear hearing aid. The extension arm thereof encompasses a bending zone free of components and a distal surface equipped with components on one side.
A further possibility of using extension arms may be derived from German Utility Model 84 26 609, incorporated herein. The extension arm disclosed in this publication, which distally projects from the actual film, is bent by 90.degree. and has its distal ends secured to conductive wings that are likewise bent by 90.degree. with reference to the film in order to stabilize the printed circuit film. At its outwardly directed surface, moreover, the extension arm holds a switch-over means. Other possibilities of using such extension arms, however, are not disclosed.